Macro Photography: Insects

Master macro photography and reveal the world of insects with striking imagery!

If you thought you had to travel to exotic locales to photograph captivating subjects, think again. Award-winning conservation photographer Clay Bolt shows you how to find, approach and photograph fascinating insects in your own backyard with spectacular results. Learn to work with available light and shallow depth of field to create crystal-clear images. Explore a variety of off-camera flash setups to enhance color and texture, increase sharpness and freeze motion. Use wide-angle macro lenses to create surreal images that showcase your subject and its habitat, and get Clay’s expert tips for successfully photographing insects in flight. Finally, learn to adjust images in the digital darkroom to illuminate the beauty of translucent wings and emphasize eye-catching textures.

Lesson plan

6:11

Lesson 1. Getting Started With Macro

Meet your instructor, natural history photographer Clay Bolt, and uncover the world of macro photography. Clay will preview what you will learn in this class: lighting techniques, using wide-angle lenses, shooting flying subjects and creating a field studio. Then, Clay gives you a peek into his gear bag as he reveals the equipment he’ll be using in this class.

16:55

Lesson 2. Using Available Light

Understand how light affects your subject throughout the day and explore how to compensate for low light by adjusting your aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Discover how adding a few accessories, including a reflector and cable release, can help you take bright, sharp photos. Learn how to find and approach skittish subjects and discover the importance of paralleling their movements to bring them into crystal-clear focus.

24:00

Lesson 3. Using Flash

Clay reveals how using one, two and even three off-camera flashes can really highlight your tiny subjects. Disperse shadows and add fill light to brighten diminutive details. Learn how to control your flash from your camera’s settings. Contrast the results of using on-camera and off-camera flashes and test exposures until you have just the right result.

12:04

Lesson 4. Wide-Angle Macro Photography

Exhibit your subjects in their habitats as you dive into shooting macro with a wide-angle lens. Clay demonstrates how using a diagonal fisheye lens allows you to get extremely close to your subjects, putting them in focus but still placing them in their environment. Create impactful images with Clay’s compositional tips for working with a wide-angle macro lens.

20:58

Lesson 5. Insects in Flight

Insects’ agility makes them challenging to photograph in flight. In this advanced lesson, discover which insects you can photograph using the equipment you already own. Clay offers tips for modifying your existing equipment and ways to overcome wind and cluttered backgrounds. Finally, witness how setting up a photo trap can allow you to capture the tiniest of insects in flight.

18:45

Lesson 6. Using a Field Studio

Build a portable outdoor studio as Clay shows you how to photograph your small subjects on a white background using off-camera flashes, à la the “Meet the Neighbours” global program that Clay co-founded. Discover several Photoshop tools you can use to really make your subjects pop. Clay demystifies working with living insects and offers tips for ethically handling them.

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Lesson 1. Getting Started With Macro

Meet your instructor, natural history photographer Clay Bolt, and uncover the world of macro photography. Clay will preview what you will learn in this class: lighting techniques, using wide-angle lenses, shooting flying subjects and creating a field studio. Then, Clay gives you a peek into his gear bag as he reveals the equipment he’ll be using in this class.

16:55

Lesson 2. Using Available Light

Understand how light affects your subject throughout the day and explore how to compensate for low light by adjusting your aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Discover how adding a few accessories, including a reflector and cable release, can help you take bright, sharp photos. Learn how to find and approach skittish subjects and discover the importance of paralleling their movements to bring them into crystal-clear focus.

24:00

Lesson 3. Using Flash

Clay reveals how using one, two and even three off-camera flashes can really highlight your tiny subjects. Disperse shadows and add fill light to brighten diminutive details. Learn how to control your flash from your camera’s settings. Contrast the results of using on-camera and off-camera flashes and test exposures until you have just the right result.

12:04

Lesson 4. Wide-Angle Macro Photography

Exhibit your subjects in their habitats as you dive into shooting macro with a wide-angle lens. Clay demonstrates how using a diagonal fisheye lens allows you to get extremely close to your subjects, putting them in focus but still placing them in their environment. Create impactful images with Clay’s compositional tips for working with a wide-angle macro lens.

20:58

Lesson 5. Insects in Flight

Insects’ agility makes them challenging to photograph in flight. In this advanced lesson, discover which insects you can photograph using the equipment you already own. Clay offers tips for modifying your existing equipment and ways to overcome wind and cluttered backgrounds. Finally, witness how setting up a photo trap can allow you to capture the tiniest of insects in flight.

18:45

Lesson 6. Using a Field Studio

Build a portable outdoor studio as Clay shows you how to photograph your small subjects on a white background using off-camera flashes, à la the “Meet the Neighbours” global program that Clay co-founded. Discover several Photoshop tools you can use to really make your subjects pop. Clay demystifies working with living insects and offers tips for ethically handling them.

The instructor

Clay Bolt, Instructor of Macro Photography: Insects

Clay Bolt is a nature and conservation photographer and an associate fellow in the International League of Conservation Photographers. His images have been featured by National Geographic, The Nature Conservancy, Scientific American, Outdoor Photographer, BBC Wildlife and many others. In 2009, Clay co-founded the nature photography project "Meet Your Neighbours" in an effort to encourage people to reconnect with the wildlife that lives within their own communities.

Ratings & reviews

Class rating

(5 reviews)

Very Informative

by ncuster7118065 on February 22, 2015

The video moves from basics to more advanced concepts quickly, clearly and smoothly.

The video moves from basics to more advanced concepts quickly, clearly and smoothly.

My First Macro Class

by sandra.lo6520032 on January 10, 2015

This is my first macro class and I've already learn't a great deal to improve my photographic skills. There is lot's of useful advice on the types of equipment that can be used without making it too expensive. I also like the way the welfare of the subject is put first.

This is my first macro class and I've already learn't a great deal to improve my photographic skills. There is lot's of useful advice on the types of equipment that can be used without making it too expensive. I also like the way the welfare of the subject is put first.

Bugs

by Marlous Story Bleazard on July 20, 2014

Excellent so far

Excellent so far

Great Class

by mulegandy6283302 on December 26, 2014

This class is a great lesson on the basics of macro photography. Clay keeps it simple and thus easy to understand. Even though I've been reading about and doing macro photography I have never learned about "paralleling" the subject. I think this one detail is something that will help improve my photos!!MG

This class is a great lesson on the basics of macro photography. Clay keeps it simple and thus easy to understand. Even though I've been reading about and doing macro photography I have never learned about "paralleling" the subject. I think this one detail is something that will help improve my photos!!MG

Great presentation.

by Laura McLean on May 17, 2014

This was my second Craftsy video. I was very impressed by its presentation. I would have like to see more plant studies though. These are also a subject that many like to photograph.Overall though I found the series well worth watching.

This was my second Craftsy video. I was very impressed by its presentation. I would have like to see more plant studies though. These are also a subject that many like to photograph.Overall though I found the series well worth watching.

You can use all of the techniques showcased in this class to shoot any subject close up. Whether you prefer to photograph plants, insects or even miniatures, Clay offers loads of tips for capturing life up close.